A Matter of Trust
by Absolution
Summary: Abby's trying to be supportive of Elizabeth's decisions, she really is. But it's hard when her sister starts dating the guy who tried to steal her body from the hospital.


AN: I recently rewatched Just Like Heaven and I found myself giggling at the thought of Elizabeth trying to explain to her sister why she started dating this strange guy that Abby once chased out of her house with a cleaver. And so this story was born.

o.o.o

It's a good night, the night that Elizabeth decides to drop the bombshell on Abby; Abby supposes that's why her sister decided to do it then. They've been out to dinner, and then to a bar, for some sisterly bonding time—just one on one, for the first time since Elizabeth was released from the hospital. John has the kids at home, and David's meeting with a client (although Elizabeth says, with a light in her eyes, that he's going to try to come meet them later).

Oh, David. Abby can't decide if she's happy or not at the possibility of him showing up. It still baffles her that her sister started dating a man who claimed to be able to communicate with her spirit, who tried to kidnap her from a hospital. But she says nothing, because in some bizarre way, that kidnapping saved Elizabeth's life. She says nothing because she's trying not to meddle so much in her sister's affairs. She says nothing because she's never seen Elizabeth so happy as she is when she's with David. But she can't forget, and she can't trust him.

And apparently Elizabeth has noticed, because in a lull in the conversation, she sets her glass down on the table and begins running her finger along the rim. Abby's seen this move before; her sister is working herself up to something. "Abby," she says after a moment, "I want to talk to you about David."

Well, she should have expected this. "What do you want to tell me?" she asks, hoping it's an explanation about why they're together and not, as she suddenly irrationally fears, an engagement announcement.

"I feel . . . I feel like you maybe don't like him. Or trust him."

Her tone isn't accusatory, but Abby feels accused anyway, and she's trying to find a way to express _Of course I don't trust him, he's unbalanced_ in a loving way when Elizabeth speaks again. "And I can't blame you. After what happened, I would probably think he was completely crazy if I were you." She gives her sister an amused look. "I've noticed you'll never leave him alone with the kids."

That's entirely true, and Abby splutters, trying to find a response. Elizabeth just laughs. "Like I said, I completely understand. And so does David. He thinks the world of you and John, by the way." She grins. "Although that might just be because you got the charges against him dropped after he tried to steal my body. You never did give me an explanation for that, by the way."

Abby hesitates and considers lying, then decides to go with the truth. "We wouldn't be sitting here right now if he hadn't done it," she admits quietly. "And then, the look on his face when you didn't remember him . . . I've never seen anyone look so heartbroken. Getting him arrested would have been like kicking him while he was down." But she fixes her gaze firmly on her sister. "But if I'd known you were going to turn around and start dating him, I might have changed my mind."

Elizabeth smiles wryly. "I'm sorry; I should have given you an explanation a long time ago. I just . . . I've been so happy, and I've enjoyed being in our own little cocoon so much, and talking about it felt like letting people in, you know?"

Abby gives her best supportive sisterly smile, but Elizabeth doesn't return it; her face has become serious and determined, as though making up her mind to see this through. "Okay, Abby, this is going to sound insane, but I want you to hear me out before you make any judgments. Okay?"

Her response is hesitant. "Okay."

Elizabeth looks around as though to make sure no one is listening, but although the bar is crowded, no one is nearby. "So," she says, hesitantly, "do you remember the first time you met David? When he came over to the house?"

Abby nods. "He said he was a former patient of yours and that he didn't want us to give up on you."

"And?" Elizabeth prods.

Well, she wasn't going to bring this up, but since Elizabeth wants her to . . . "And he said that you were there in the room with us."

Elizabeth nods, a wry little grin on her face, and takes a deep breath. "I was."

There is silence, or at least as much silence as there ever is in a bar. "Sorry?"

"I was there," Elizabeth repeats, more firmly this time. "We were standing in the kitchen and the girls were having a tea party. You were wearing a green sweater and the necklace John got you for your birthday last year. David was by the door and I was by the girls and he kept looking over at me. You came after him with a meat cleaver."

Abby forgets that she promised to hear her out. These are details only David could know; had he coached her into saying them? "Elizabeth, what are you saying—"

"Lily saw me," Elizabeth cuts in. "Did you check the tea party afterwards? She set a cookie out for me."

It's like time has stopped and the bar around them has disappeared; all Abby can hear is her heart pounding in her ears; all she can think about is the third plate set out in front of an empty chair. Lily _had_ gotten an extra cookie for an invisible guest—not entirely unheard of for Lily, but it was what the little girl had said later that had made the incident stand out.

Elizabeth is watching her closely for a reaction. "Did you see the third cookie?"

Abby nods carefully. "I did," she said slowly. "And then . . ." She pauses, but this is her sister, and they tell each other everything. "Then after David left, Lily asked me if you were going to have more tea."

Elizabeth chuckles. "I knew it. I knew she'd seen me."

"No," says Abby shaking her head, and Elizabeth's smile disappears. "This is crazy, Elizabeth. You weren't in my kitchen. You were in a coma in the hospital."

A look of sympathy and understanding crosses the young doctor's face, and she leans forward. "Do you remember the night of the accident? That you and JJ set up a blind date for me?"

Abby nods slowly.

"That was David," her sister explains, and Abby's eyes widen in surprise. "We were supposed to meet that night. And when we didn't . . . I don't know, it was like some kind of link formed. After I saw those lights coming toward me, I was suddenly somehow in my apartment, and . . . he was there." She smiles. "He was the only one who could see me. I was . . . a ghost, only I wasn't dead, so I don't know what I was. But it was absolutely real." And then she's off on a story about how she and David met, how they fought, how he tried to have her exorcised, how they became friends, how he helped her find out who she was. It all sounds completely insane and if had been anyone but her beloved baby sister, Abby would have run away screaming. But she can't. She doesn't believe the story—can't believe the story—but she's still listening raptly, because this is her sister.

And because Lily set out an extra cookie for Aunt Elizabeth.

"I was there when you came to see me in the hospital too," Elizabeth adds. "When Brett—Dr. Rushton—told you about my living will. When he encouraged you to terminate life support." A strange look crosses her face, like she's reliving an unpleasant memory. "He told you to just ask God's forgiveness and go for it." She smiles a little as she looks at her older sister. "And you just snapped at him—"

"That I'd think about it," Abby finishes quietly, trying not to freak out because this is impossible. "We were alone when we had that conversation."

"Abby," Elizabeth says firmly, "I was there."

But they were alone. But Elizabeth knows about it.

This is impossible, but Abby can't help wondering if it's also true.

Elizabeth is looking at her expectantly, and Abby shakes her head. "I'm trying to keep an open mind about this, sweetie," she says. "But I don't believe in . . . ghosts and spirits and things . . ."

"Neither did I," says Elizabeth with a wry chuckle. "Until I was one. And anyway, now that I've told you this story, your options are to accept it or to assume that your sister is crazy." Then her expression falls. "I'm sorry, Abby, I know this is a lot to take in. Honestly I didn't plan on ever telling you, because I worried you'd . . . I don't know."

"Why are you telling me now?"

Her sister sighs. "Because of David," she admits. "He doesn't complain. He doesn't say a word. But I know he knows what you think of him, and I know it bothers him. He wants you guys to like him, and he wants you to be happy for us, but you still—understandably—think of him as the crazy guy who kidnapped your comatose sister."

"Maybe a little," Abby admits.

Elizabeth chuckles. "And he doesn't deserve that. He's such a good guy, Abby—more than I know how to tell you." And then there's that happiness, that light in her eyes that disappeared when Elizabeth first started stressing about med school and reappeared when David came into her life. "I love him so much, and I love you so much. I just want the two most important people in my life to get along."

"I hope I'm one of those two," comes a voice behind them, and Elizabeth's whole face lights up like a Christmas tree as she turns to kiss David. He seems no less eager to see her, and when the kiss has ended and Elizabeth has turned back to Abby, David keeps his hand on the small of her back. Abby's noticed that about them over the last few weeks; they're always happiest when they're in physical contact, even if it's just sitting close enough on the sofa that their arms touch.

Makes sense, some part of her thinks, if for the the first part of their relationship she was a ghost. Maybe they're just making up for lost time.

David notices the serious look on Abby's face. "Am I interrupting?" he asks. "Because I can go—"

"No," says Elizabeth, looking up into his face earnestly, and Abby is forcibly reminded of how sappy she and John were when they first started dating. "We're just . . ." And she trails off, looking at Abby.

And Abby sighs inwardly—not irritated, just tired and confused. "She's telling me about how you two met. How you _really_ met," she clarifies.

"Oh," says David awkwardly. "Oh, right. How are you . . . feeling about that?" And then he's looking questioningly at Elizabeth and whispering, "I thought you weren't going to tell her."

She takes his hand. "I wanted her to be happy for us," she says softly.

"I'm sorry. About all of it," David tells Abby. "I didn't mean to make a scene in front of your kids. But when we heard that you were taking her off life support . . ."

"I can see that would have been upsetting," Abby says, trying to be fair. Then she sits back, examining the two of them. "So you were a ghost, and he was the only person who could see you."

"We talked to a guy who's kind of an expert on this stuff," Elizabeth says. "He told me—well, he told David, because he could only sense me, not see me—that I had unfinished business. And my unfinished business was to meet David. I think that somehow that means the universe, or God, or fate, or whatever, knew that we'd be happy together if we had the chance."

"Jack knows," David says suddenly. "Sorry to interrupt, I just thought—Jack can vouch for it."

"JJ?" Abby repeats. He was apprehended in the hospital along with David that day, but Abby never thought to ask why he was helping David; the two were friends, and anyway stealing a body is definitely not outside the realm of normal behavior for that guy.

"Yeah, ask JJ!" Elizabeth says. "He knew, in the hospital. I told David about his old nickname and about you two at the wedding. He believed us. That's why he helped."

Having JJ on their side doesn't count for much; he still insists, to all their college friends, that he saw Elvis at a gas station once in high school. But still . . . Anyway, it reminds her of something else: that David knew about her kissing JJ before her wedding. She'd assumed JJ told him that, but what if it was Elizabeth? What if?

Abby stares at them a long time. She doesn't want to believe it, but Elizabeth knows about the private conversation with the doctor. David knew about the wedding. Lily put out a cookie for Aunt Elizabeth. And most importantly, she's her sister. Finally she sighs. "I'm still not sure I believe all this," she tells them both. "But I am willing to say that maybe something happened that I don't understand, and I am willing to try to be okay with this whole—" She gestures toward Elizabeth and David— "thing."

David gives her a sweet half-smile, one that she's seen him send toward Elizabeth a thousand times, and her heart softens just a little. "David, I'm sorry I haven't been very welcoming."

"You're just being a good mom," he says. "Trying to protect your kids from the crazy guy."

"Well, crazy guy or not, somehow what you did brought my sister back," she says. "And maybe you were never crazy at all."

Elizabeth grins and throws her arms around her sister. Abby returns the hug, but over her sister's shoulder she fixes David with a serious look. "But if I ever find out that this is all . . . . some . . . thing," she tells him sternly, "I still have that cleaver."

"Understood," David smiles, and then Elizabeth smiles, and finally Abby lets herself smile.

Abby can't see it from where she sits in that bar, but she will eventually end up believing Elizabeth, mostly. She will have a serious talk with JJ, who will back up the whole story, and then she'll have a serious talk with John, who will end up being surprisingly open to the possibility, and when David and Elizabeth announce their engagement, she won't even protest.

But she will reserve the right to pull out the cleaver in the future, should she ever need it.

o.o.o


End file.
